The Green Wave Gazette
December 2013
Devoted to Dancing
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Kingston Native Lauren Herfindahl performs in Boston Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”
Caroline Bradbury
Staff Writer
For most people art is a canvas on a wall, but for ballet
dancer Lauren Herfindahl, art
lives within movement. This Kingston native is
taking the ballet world by
storm through hard work and
commitment to her art.
Dawn Atkins, Lauren Herfindahl, and
Ekaterine Chubinidze in Boston Ballet's
The Nutcracker (by Rosalie O'Connor)
Lawrence Rines in Boston Ballet’s The
Nutcracker (by Gene Schiavone)
Bostonballet.org
constant movement and
precision that show how
much she truly loves her
craft.
These skills will all come
in handy when she appears in “The Nutcracker,” November 29 –
December 29 at the Boston Opera
House. Herfindahl will
dance as a party woman
in the Party Scene, as a
snowflake in the Snow
Scene, as flower and a
lead flower in the Waltz
of the Flowers, and she
has learned the role of
Pastorale.
Herfindahl earned a spot in
Boston Ballet‟s apprentice
company (Boston Ballet II)
when she was just 15. Now,
at age 18 she is a member of
the full company. And, in
addition to her talent, it must
have taken a lot of inspiration
and dedication to
―Its motivating
get there.
to dance
with the people I
watched growing up.‖
“I watched
„Riverdance‟ when I
was about two or
three, and knew I
— Lauren Herfindahl
had to dance,” she
explained during a
recent interThe Boston Ballet has
view. “My mom then put me
recently revamped their
into ballet class, and I‟ve
version of the popular
loved it ever since.” From
there she went on to The Bos- holiday ballet. Mikko
Nissinen is the artistic
ton Ballet School from 2004director of the company,
2011 until she was accepted
and is widely credited for
into Boston Ballet II.
making this classical ballet into something even
“I‟m pretty busy,” said Herfin- greater than it
dahl as she spoke of her
was. ”Mikko has made
crazy schedule. Sometimes,
everything his own,” said
she has class from 9:00 AM
Herfindahl. She espeuntil 2:30 PM, and then recially likes what he has
hearsals and shows later in
done visually. “All of the
the evening. That is hours of new costumes and sets
are beautiful,” said Herfindahl.
Herfindahl finds performing well known ballets
inspirational. She performed in parts of Marius
Patipa‟s classic, “La Bayadere” earlier this year,
which was her first official performance with the
company. She also
danced in the first ever
“Night of Stars on Boston
Common” in September. ”Its motivating to
dance with the people I
watched growing up. And
it‟s satisfying how we all
rely on each other
throughout a performance.” She also finds a lot
of inspiration through
other dancers and music. ”I even watch dances
on YouTube!” said Herfindahl.
She says the best part of
being a dancer for Boston
Ballet is “performing with
the home company.” Since she grew up
in the Boston area she
thinks it is a huge privilege to dance for her
city. If Herfindahl could
give advice to any aspiring dancer she would tell
them to simply “love their
art.”
This article also appeared
in the Patriot Ledger